Minor Human Characters in the Railway Series
This section is for characters who only or first appeared in the Railway Series, listed in chronological appearance. For characters that first or only appeared in the television series see: Minor Human Characters in the Television Series. The Little Boys Several groups of three or more young boys have appeared at various times. They have told Edward and his crew that the guard was coming, confused Gordon for a tank engine and falling into a ditch, thrown stones on Henry, fiddled with James' controls, taunted Daisy with "bull's-eyes", lauded Sir Handel for racing George and got trapped inside the waiting room at Maithwaite, because of the ram. Appearances Railway Series * The Three Railway Engines - Edward's Day Out * Troublesome Engines - Tenders and Turntables * Henry the Green Engine - Henry's Sneeze (do not speak) * Gordon the Big Engine - Off the Rails * Edward the Blue Engine - Old Iron (not seen) * The Eight Famous Engines - Double Header * Branch Line Engines - Bulls Eyes * Gallant Old Engine - Steam Roller * Really Useful Engines - Mind that Bike (do not speak) Television Series * Season 1 - Tenders and Turntables and Off the Rails * Season 3 - Time for Trouble and Thomas Gets Bumped * Season 4 - Steam Roller and Bulls Eyes (one speaks) * Season 5 - Baa! The Lady in the Black Bonnet At Maron, Edward told James of the time he had to push Gordon up a hill. James laughed so much he surprised an old lady as she was carrying some parcels. She dropped them and the stationmaster and some porters had to pick them up for her. Appearance Railway Series * James the Red Engine - James and the Top-Hat (does not speak) The Old Lady with the Umbrella This old lady left her umbrella lying on the platform in Thomas and the Guard. When Thomas was about to leave, the guard tripped on the umbrella. By the time he had gotten up again, Thomas had left. Appearance Railway Series * Tank Engine Thomas Again - Thomas and the Guard (does not speak) The Fire Brigade The fire brigade were seen riding in a fire engine in Gordon's Whistle after hearing Gordon whistling and mistaking the noise for a fire siren. Appearance Railway Series * Henry the Green Engine - Gordon's Whistle (do not speak) The Stone-dropping Boys Three foolish boys found it fun to drop stones on Henry as he passed underneath a bridge, causing minor damage to several carriage windows and Henry's boiler and hitting the fireman on the head. Although the passengers wanted to call the police, Henry's crew persuaded them to let them get their own revenge by showering them, as well as some friends who came to watch, with ashes from Henry's fire. Appearances Railway Series * Henry the Green Engine - Henry's Sneeze (do not speak) * Gordon the High-Speed Engine - Smokescreen (mentioned) Television Series * Season 1 - Edward, Gordon and Henry (one only; cameo), The Flying Kipper (cameo), Whistles and Sneezes (do not speak) and Thomas' Christmas Party (cameo) * Season 6 - Thomas the Jet Engine (one only; cameo) * Season 7 - Emily's New Coaches (one only; cameo), Edward's Brass Band (one only; cameo), Something Fishy (one only; cameo), Harold and the Flying Horse (one only; stock footage cameo) and Three Cheers for Thomas (one only; cameo) Music Videos * Toby, It's Great to be an Engine and Come for the Ride The Hatts' Nanny While Sir Topham and Lady Hatt went on holiday in East Anglia in Toby and the Stout Gentlemen, they were accompanied by another lady, presumably a "nanny" to care for Stephen and Bridget Hatt. Appearance Railway Series * Toby the Tram Engine - Toby and the Stout Gentleman (does not speak) The Policeman The policeman came to argue with the Fat Controller in Thomas in Trouble after Thomas was found to have travelled down the Quarry Tramroad branch illegally without cowcatchers and side plates. The young constable, perhaps in hopes of a promotion and a reputation of zeal, often went around Ffarquhar enforcing out of date laws and which had been quietly forgotten. He nearly drove Ffarquhar innkeepers crazy with obscure points in the Licencing Laws. He got his dues when one Sunday morning, after he prowled outside Saint Finian's Church taking the numbers of the cars he saw there, he found out too late that he had "booked" the Vicar's, John Croarie's, the Chairman of the local Bench of Magistrates, as well as his own sergeant's! After the "criminals" were fined ½d each, he was speedily transferred elsewhere amid general rejoicing. Appearances Railway Series * Toby the Tram Engine - Thomas in Trouble Television Series * Season 1 - Thomas' Train (cameo) and Thomas in Trouble * Season 2 - Percy's Predicament (cameo), Wrong Road (cameo) and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree (cameo) Music Videos * Thomas' Christmas Song and It's Great to be an Engine Voice Actors * Hirohiko Kakegawa (Japan) The Hatt's Butler The Hatt family employs a butler, who in 1951 told The Fat Controller, whom was in the middle of having his breakfast (toast and marmalade), he was wanted on the telephone, to which The Fat Controller then found out about Thomas getting into trouble with the police and had to go at once. Appearances Railway Series * Toby the Tram Engine - Thomas in Trouble Television Series * Season 1 - Thomas in Trouble * Season 5 - Lady Hatt's Birthday Party (cameo) * Season 7 - Fergus Breaks the Rules (cameo) Voice Actors * Shinobu Satouchi (Japan; first season only) The Doctor The doctor tended to Mrs. Kyndley in Mrs. Kyndley's Christmas after Thomas' crew saw her dressing-gown waving from her window and suspected the worst. As it was, she had only fainted from the effort of warning them about a landslide ahead. Appearance Railway Series * Toby the Tram Engine - Mrs. Kyndley's Christmas (does not speak) Mr. Kyndley Mr. Kyndley is Mrs. Kyndley's husband. Appearances Railway Series * Toby the Tram Engine - Mrs. Kyndley's Christmas * Thomas Comes Home - Thomas Comes Home (mentioned) * Thomas' Christmas Party Annual Stories * 1993 - Thomas and the Snow Block Bert and Alf Bert and Alf are two cleaners who washed Gordon down in Leaves after he derailed from the turntable in a ditch at Vicarstown Sheds. Appearance Railway Series * Gordon the Big Engine - Leaves The Painter This man was painting Tidmouth station for Queen Elizabeth II's visit in Paint Pots and Queens when Henry came in. He lost his footing in the smoke and fell. His fall was luckily broken by a tarpaulin draped over Henry's cab, but his paint-pot landed on Henry's dome, making him look, in the Fat Controller's words, like an iced cake. Appearances Railway Series * Gordon the Big Engine - Paint Pots and Queens Television Series * Season 4 - Paint Pots and Queens Voice Actors * Toshio Kobayashi (Japan) The Naughty Boys These two ill-behaved boys wandered into James' cab and started him off, prompting a high-speed chase by Edward. Although they were said to have been caught by the police and beaten soundly by their fathers in Old Iron, nothing was said of this in their television series appearance, for understandable reasons. Appearances Railway Series * Edward the Blue Engine - Old Iron (not seen; do not speak) * Twelve Happy Engines (mentioned) Television Series * Season 2 - Old Iron (do not speak) Mrs. Last Mrs. Last lives near a station on the Skarloey Railway. Although that is not her real name, she gained the nickname because she was always late to arrive at the station. Appearance Railway Series * Four Little Engines - Skarloey Remembers (does not speak) Trivia * Mrs Last is based on Mrs Pugh, a passenger on the Talyllyn Railway who would go form Rhydoren to Tywyn every Friday to go shopping. She was commonly late for the return train, but guards, such as The Rev. W. Awdry, would usually stop the train from going until she came aboard. The Vicar of Knapford The Vicar of Knapford hosts a Sunday School at Knapford Harbour. He only appeared in the story Percy's Promise; in the television series, he was replaced by the Vicar of Wellsworth. Appearance Railway Series * Percy the Small Engine - Percy's Promise The New Signalman The new signalman is a signalman at Killdane who refused to listen to Toby's driver about Toby having small water tanks. He told them that they had to clear the line for James and that they could get more water from the next station. He later apologised and said that he did not understand Toby's situation. Appearances Railway Series * The Eight Famous Engines - Double Header Television Series * Season 3 - Time for Trouble Voice Actors * Toshio Kobayashi (Japan) The Railway Society The Railway Society visited Sodor in Domeless Engines, bringing City of Truro with them. Among the members illustrated is a vicar and a man in a bow-tie, both looking at Duck; Eric Marriott theorized they may have been the Rev. W. Awdry showing C. Reginald Dalby what Duck really looked like. Appearances Railway Series * Duck and the Diesel Engine - Domeless Engines (do not speak) Television Series * Season 3 - Gordon and the Famous Visitor (do not speak) The Barber This man set up a barbershop in Crosby, unwisely placed at the end of the siding. After Duck crashed into the wall, the furious barber covered Duck's face in shaving cream. He later washed it off after realizing that Duck prevented a potentially fatal accident, and the North Western Railway gladly paid for the repairs. Appearances Railway Series * Duck and the Diesel Engine - A Close Shave Television Series * Season 2 - Bertie's Chase (cameo) and A Close Shave Music Videos * Sir Topham Hatt, Accidents Will Happen and Never, Never, Never Give Up Voice Actors * Daisuke Gōri (Japan) The BBC Television Producers These men came to the Skarloey Railway in Little Old Twins to film a documentary about the railway. Peter Sam and Sir Handel, recalling the same happening on the Mid Sodor Railway, at first feared the railway was going to be closed. They later returned to the railway to film a documentary for Skarloey and Rheneas' 100th birthday in Very Old Engines. Appearances Railway Series * The Little Old Engine - Little Old Twins * Very Old Engines - Duck and Dukes (do not speak) The Foreign Gentlemen Three gentlemen talked to the Fat Controller after Douglas accidentally shunted the special coach in a siding in The Missing Coach. They later accompanied him when he disciplined Douglas. Appearance Railway Series * The Twin Engines - The Missing Coach (do not speak) The Careless Cleaner This cleaner fiddled with Thomas' controls in Thomas Comes to Breakfast, starting him and resulting into his crashing into the stationmaster's house. It is not revealed as to what happened to him after the incident. Appearances Railway Series * Branch Line Engines - Thomas Comes to Breakfast (mentioned) Television Series * Season 2 - Thomas Comes to Breakfast (does not speak) and Wrong Road (cameo) Music Videos * Sir Topham Hatt The Ffarquhar Stationmaster and his Family The stationmaster of Ffarquhar lives near the Ffarquhar sheds with his wife, son and daughter. When Thomas crashed into his house, he shut off steam while his wife reprimanded Thomas for spoiling their breakfast. Appearances Railway Series * Branch Line Engines - Thomas Comes to Breakfast Television Series * Season 2 - Thomas Comes to Breakfast (The Ffarquhar Stationmaster; does not speak: The Ffarquhar Stationmaster's children; cameo), Daisy (The Ffarquhar Stationmaster; shunter only), Wrong Road (The Ffarquhar Stationmaster's Wife only; cameo) and Edward's Exploit (The Ffarquhar Stationmaster's Wife only; cameo) * Season 3 - Bulgy (The Ffarquhar Stationmaster's Wife only; not named) Specials: * Journey Beyond Sodor (The Ffarquhar Stationmaster only; mentioned) Music Videos * Sir Topham Hatt Daisy's Fitter Daisy's fitter is a man who checks Daisy every day before she goes to work. He told Daisy never to pull any coaches or trucks. Appearances The Railway Series * Branch Line Engines - Daisy (not seen) Television Series * Season 2 - Daisy * Season 20 - Ryan and Daisy (mentioned) and The Railcar and the Coaches (mentioned) * Season 21 - Springtime for Diesel (mentioned) The Dryaw Policeman A policeman from Dryaw warned Daisy about a bull on the line ahead. He hitched a ride and tried to help shoo the bull, but the bull kept wandering back. Appearances Railway Series * Branch Line Engines - Bulls Eyes Television Series * Season 4 - Bulls Eyes, Special Attraction (cameo), and Mind that Bike (cameo) * Season 6 - Gordon Takes a Tumble (cameo) * Season 7 - Best Dressed Engine (stock footage cameo) Magazine * 2005 - Daisy and the Bull Voice Actors * Yasunori Masutani (Japan) The Crovan's Gate Policeman Another policeman arrived after George collided with Sir Handel's train. He arrived just in time, for George's driver and the guard were almost about to have a fistfight over who was at fault. Appearances Railway Series * Gallant Old Engine - Steam Roller Television Series * Season 4 - Steam Roller, Thomas and the Special Letter (cameo), and Special Attraction (cameo) * Season 5 - Make Someone Happy (cameo) * Season 7 - Best Dressed Engine (stock footage cameo) In the English narration of the television series, he speaks like a stereotypical British policeman. Voice Actors * Ryōichi Tanaka (Japan) Stepney's Controller The controller of the Bluebell Railway accompanied Stepney to the North Western Railway on his visit. Appearances Railway Series * Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - Bluebells of England (not seen; does not speak), Stepney's Special (mentioned) and Bowled Out (does not speak) The Important Passenger The important passenger appeared in Stepney's Special and the fourth season episode Thomas and Stepney. After Thomas had left with his last branch line train, the passenger appeared and requested a special train for himself, resulting in Thomas being shunted to a siding while Stepney took the special train. Appearance Railway Series * Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - Stepney's Special (does not speak) Television Series * Season 4 - Thomas and Stepney Voice Actors * Yasuhiko Kawazu (Japan) Elsbridge Cricket Club These men were playing cricket at the Elsbridge cricket field when a batsman hit a six that landed in one of Stepney's trucks. Four of the cricketers chased after Stepney in Caroline. Appearances Railway Series * Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - Train Stops Play Television Series * Season 4 - Train Stops Play Music Videos * The Red Balloon Voice Actors * Hideo Ishikawa and Katsuji Mori (Japan) The Rockclimbers During a gale on Culdee Fell, news came at Devil's Back Station of a group of climbers injured on the mountain. #6 rescued the climbers, and was later renamed after a climber, Patrick, who had hurt himself saving the leader. Appearance Railway Series * Mountain Engines - Devil's Back Mr. Bobbie Mr. Bobbie, unlike most of the other humans in the Railway Series, was actually a real person. He helped build Skarloey, Rheneas, Talyllyn and Dolgoch in England, and later came to Sodor to help build the line. When Skarloey would not co-operate with Mr. Mack, he had Mr. Bobbie drive Skarloey. Appearance Railway Series * Very Old Engines - Bucking Bronco (does not speak) The Duke of Sodor The current Duke of Sodor came to the Skarloey Railway to open the new loop line around Skarloey lake. Duck, however, mistook him for a Great Western engine and told Peter Sam all "engine" Dukes had been scrapped. Although a "person" Duke came to the opening ceremony, Peter Sam was doubtful and interrupted the Duke during a speech to ask him if he was real. The Duke, however, had been told to expect the question, and cheerfully replied he was a real, live person. King Henry IV conferred the title Earl of Sodor on the last Regent, Sir Arnold de Norramby, who had assisted the King's troops in expelling the Percy garrisons from Sodor in 1404. The Earldom was extinguished by Attainder in 1715, but on the conclusion of his first term of office as Lieutenant Governor in 1873, Queen Victoria graciously responded to popular petition and restored to John Arnold Norramby the Earldom of Sodor and the estates of Ulfstead Castle of which his ancestor had been deprived, and which had been reverted to the Crown. Appearance Railway Series * Very Old Engines - Duck and Dukes List of Dukes # John Arnold Norramby (1822-1894) - Promoter and Chairman of the Mid Sodor Railway. Presented the company with an engine which they named in his honour. # Henry John Norramby (1854-1915) - Earl from 1894-1915. # Charles Henry Norramby (1883-1941) - Served throughout World War I in the Sodor Regiment. Retired with the rank of Lieutenant General. # Robert Charles Norramby (1918-1943) - Killed in action in North Africa. Lieutenant Colonel Sodor Regiment. # Richard Robert Norramby (1940-) Succeeded as a minor. Was age seven when the Mid Sodor Railway closed. 25 when he opened the Skarloey Railway Loop Line. 29 when Duke was found. Trivia * There is really no Duke of Sodor. The Earls of Sodor are active on the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster, and as there is no Duke of Lancaster, Sudrians refer to the Earl as their "Duke". Fred and Bert Fred and Bert are two porters at Tidmouth. They were carrying a beehive on a trolley, but when an old lady suddenly appeared in front, they stopped so suddenly the beehive fell over and broke, prompting the station's occupants (bar James and his crew) to clear the platform. Appearance Railway Series * Main Line Engines - Buzz, Buzz The Lady with the Floppy Green Hat This lady chose to wear a large green hat when saying goodbye to a friend at Tidmouth. When she waved to the friend, who was sitting near the guard's van, Gordon's fireman thought the green flag had been waved and set off, causing the first in a series of mix-ups. Appearances Railway Series * Main Line Engines - Wrong Road (does not speak) Television Series * Season 2 - Wrong Road (does not speak) and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree (cameo) The Enthusiasts Two separate groups of enthusiasts appeared in Edward's Exploit and What a Picture!. The first group were pulled home by Edward, despite him breaking a crank-pin. The second group visited Brendam, and went to watch Ben when he was asked to pull a boat into deeper water, except one man who continuously took pictures of Bill. Unluckily for the photographer, as he was about to take his best picture Bill's driver turned a tap, releasing a cloud of steam and spoiling the photo. Bill and Ben enjoy the enthusiasts' visits, mainly because of the way they fuss over them. Appearances Railway Series * Main Line Engines - Edward's Exploit * Thomas and the Twins - What a Picture! (do not speak) Television Series * Season 2 - Edward's Exploit (do not speak) The British Railways Foreman A foreman at a goods depot on the British Railways tried to stop Douglas from taking Oliver, Isabel, and Toad back to Sodor, but grudgingly let them pass after finding nothing to fault. He dresses in the default railway staff uniform of a blue overcoat, a blue cap, a white shirt, blue trousers, and a black tie. Appearances Railway Series * Enterprising Engines - Escape Television Series * Season 3 - Escape * Season 18 - Toad's Adventure (mentioned) Voice Actors * Toshio Kobayashi (Japan) The Mid Sodor Railway Manager This man was the manager of the Mid Sodor Railway when Falcon was new to the line. When Stanley (Smudger in the television series) continuously derailed and shrugged off all the advice he was given from Duke, the manager decided to turn him into a pumping engine behind the shed. He later arranged for Falcon to double-head with Duke on the "Mountain Road", which nearly resulted in disaster after Falcon derailed. Luckily, no harm was done, and the manager later apologised to the passengers for the trouble. It is unknown what happened to him after the railway closed down, but in the Television series, he became the manager of the Bluebell Railway. Appearances Railway Series * Duke the Lost Engine - Granpuff (not seen; does not speak) and Bulldog Television Series * Season 4 - Granpuff (does not speak), Bulldog, Special Funnel (mentioned), Rusty to the Rescue and Thomas and Stepney (mentioned) Voice Actors * Tomohisa Asō (Japan; Bulldog) * Masato Hirano (Japan; Rusty to the Rescue) Gallery File:Bulldog18.png|The manager in the Television Series Sam the Farmer in a deleted scene|thumb]] Sam the Farmer is a farmer that most likely works at Crowe's Farm. He once had to deliver a cart of lime to Mr. Crowe's forty-acre field. His cart became stuck on the crossing and he went for help. Percy eventually ended up smashing the cart to smithereens. Appearances Railway Series * Tramway Engines - Ghost Train Television Series * Season 2 - Ghost Train (mentioned; deleted scene) Videos * Mr. Perkins Storytime - Ghost Train (does not speak) Magazine stories * 1988 - Ghost Train (mentioned) Gallery File:GhostTrainRS3.png|Sam in the Railway Series File:GhostTrainLMillustration2.png|Sam illustrated by Loraine Marshall Anopha Quarry Manager This man is in charge of the quarry where Mavis works. He forbade her from leaving the quarry after jaunting onto the tramway, but later allowed her to go as far as the first level crossing after productivity increased, and later to Ffarquhar after she rescued Toby from a "tightrope". Appearance Railway Series * Tramway Engines - Toby's Tightrope The Thieves Two men robbed the Ffarquhar stationmaster's house of his gardening trophies, and rounded it off by stealing his new car. Luckily, they were stupid enough to use the car the day after the burglary. Thomas' fireman alerted the police, and the thieves were arrested, with the car and the trophies (in the boot of the car) both unharmed. Appearance Railway Series * Really Useful Engines - Stop Thief! The Boy Scouts One summer, some boy scouts camped near the Skarloey Railway. Their leader arranged with Mr. Hugh to fix some ditches near the line. Later, their leader asked Duncan and his crew to find them something to drink from the Refreshment Lady when they got thirsty. They only appeared in Great Little Engines. Appearance Railway Series * Great Little Engines - Pop-Special (do not speak) The Wedding Guests As Gordon passed Wellsworth one day, the poor coal he was using caused him to "sneeze" out a cloak of ashes, spoiling the clothes of the angry wedding guests. They appeared in Gordon the High-Speed Engine. Appearance Railway Series * Gordon the High-Speed Engine - Smokescreen Television Series *Season 5 - Happy Ever After (mentioned) The Dairy Farmer This man's lorry broke down as he was delivering some dairy products to Brendam. He was phoning for help when Thomas crashed into the lorry and got covered in eggs. Bill and Ben were swift to tease Thomas about it afterwards. He only appeared in Thomas and the Twins. Appearance Railway Series * Thomas and the Twins - Scrambled Eggs (does not speak) The Child and his Mother When a bag was thrown onto Thomas' demonstration line at the National Railway Museum, Thomas could not stop in time and ran over the bag. A child was frightened by the steam, and his furious mother went to complain to the manager. Appearance Railway Series * Thomas and the Great Railway Show - Trouble on the Line Prince Charles Charles, Prince of Wales (born 14 November 1948) is a member of the Royal Family and the eldest son of Elizabeth II, who has visited the Island of Sodor several times. He was read the Railway Series when he was younger by his parents. On 25th of November 1982, Prince Charles visited the Talyllyn Railway as part of a royal tour of Wales with his wife, The Princess of Wales. Sir Handel was also visiting the railway at the time and acted as spare engine for the Royal Train, which was pulled by Dolgoch. The Prince and Princess were then presented with some of the Thin Clergyman's books about the Skarloey Railway. When Sir Handel returned to Sodor in 1984, he told the other engines about the visit, among other adventures. He first visited the North Western Railway on the Golden Jubilee of the Railway Series in 1995. Pip and Emma were loaned to bring him to Tidmouth, where he was greeted by Sir Stephen Topham Hatt, who had masterminded the Royal Visit. He had visited Sodor again by 2005. In 2011, Prince Charles was again brought to Tidmouth Station by Pip and Emma, this time to unveil the statue of the Thin Clergyman at Tidmouth in celebration of his 100th birthday. He made a short speech, where he remarked that there will never be another place like Sodor anywhere. Appearance The Railway Series * Great Little Engines - Sir Handel Comes Home * Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines - Golden Jubilee * Thomas and his Friends - Centenary Companion Volumes * 1995 - The Thomas the Tank Engine Man * 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines Kathy and Lizzie Kathy and Lizzie Presres are two girls who worked on the Talyllyn Railway cleaning the engines. When their family went holidaying on Sodor, they polished Skarloey Railway engines. Kathy has brunette hair, while Lizzie has blonde hair. Appearance Railway Series * New Little Engine - Dirty Water Harold's Pilots Harold the Helicopter has a pilot and co-pilot. Their uniform consists of dark blue trousers, a black tie, a white shirt with a dark blue jacket over it and a dark blue cap. Appearances Railway Series * Percy the Small Engine - Percy and Harold Television Series * Season 2 - Percy and Harold (cameo) * Season 5 - Oliver's Find (cameo), Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday and Make Someone Happy (cameo) * Season 6 - A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter * Season 7 - The Grand Opening Voice Actors * Katsuji Mori (Japan; Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday) * Naoki Tatsuta (Japan; A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter) * Yasuhiko Kawazu (Japan; The Grand Opening) Category:Humans Category:Railway Series-only Characters Category:Awdry-created characters Category:The Railway Series characters Category:Male characters Category:Female characters